We're Gonna Make It
by Lissical
Summary: (CJ/Toby) They want to start a new life together. Will they be able to?
1. Default Chapter

The sound of the phone woke him up almost immediately. He looked at the clock. 5:00am. Who would call him at 5:00am? "Toby Ziegler," he said groggily.  
  
"Toby, it's CJ."  
  
"What in the world are you doing calling me at five in the morning?" He growled.  
  
"Well, for one thing, we have to be at work in an hour and a half. Remember? Leo called an extra early staff meeting?"  
  
He thought for a moment. "Yeah, that's right. So why are you calling me? I already set my alarm."  
  
"I need you to pick me up." She said. She knew how much he hated to be called so early in the morning, and he knew she knew it.  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"Well, let's see. Let me ask you a question."  
  
"Okay," he said as he sat up.  
  
"Normally, when one starts a car, it actually starts, right?"  
  
"CJ, what does this have to do--"  
  
"Just answer the damn question!"  
  
"Okay. Sheesh. Yes, normally when you go to start a car, it starts. Now why are you asking me this?"  
  
"Because mine won't. A light keeps flashing on saying 'battery.' That must mean something."  
  
"Okay, fine. I'll come get you."  
  
"Thank you. Think you can make it in twenty minutes?"  
  
"Twenty min--CJ, I just woke up!"  
  
"Then get dressed and come get me, you prickly, mumbling Communications Director."  
  
"For the hundredth time, CJ, I am not prickly."  
  
"Sure you're not," she said, laughing a little. "Seriously, can you come in about twenty minutes?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I'll be there."  
  
"Okay. Thanks."  
  
"Yeah." He hung up the phone and got out of bed. Only when he did, he pretty much fell flat on his face. "I'll get you for this, CJ," he said to himself as he got up.  
  
"It's about time you got here!" CJ got into the car and looked at him. "What took you so long?"  
  
"Traffic," he said, looking straight ahead.  
  
"Yeah, okay," she said sarcastically.  
  
"Really. I was stuck on Dupont Circle."  
  
"Toby, you live nowhere near Dupont Circle."  
  
He mumbled something incoherent.  
  
"What was that," she asked.  
  
"Nothing. Just let me drive."  
  
"Okay."  
  
The West Wing.......  
  
"Sam, where is he," Leo asked, almost yelling.  
  
"Who, Toby?"  
  
"No, the Pope. Yes, Toby. Where is he?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"You're so helpful."  
  
"I do what I can." Sam sat down on the sofa in Leo's office.  
  
"Josh, where's CJ," Leo asked.  
  
"Why would I know?" Josh looked at Sam who shrugged.  
  
"You two are no help at all. Margaret!"  
  
"Yeah?" Margaret said as she walked into the office.  
  
"Call Toby. See where he is. Then call CJ. See where she is."  
  
"Okay." She walked back to her desk and dialed Toby's cell phone.  
  
Toby's car......  
  
"Hello," Toby said as he tried to hold the phone and steering wheel at the same time.  
  
"Hi Toby, it's Margaret."  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"Leo wants to know where you are."  
  
"I'm on my way to work. Tell him that."  
  
Leo's office....  
  
"Okay." She walked into Leo's office. "He's on his way."  
  
"Okay. Call CJ please."  
  
She left the office and called CJ on her cell phone.  
  
Toby's car.....  
  
"Hello," CJ said as she picked up her phone.  
  
"Hi CJ, it's Margaret. Leo wants to know where you are."  
  
"I'm on my way to work."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Leo's office....  
  
"CJ's on her way as well."  
  
"What, are they in the same car?"  
  
"I didn't ask."  
  
"Yeah, whatever. Just...Go do what you do."  
  
She shook her head and left the office.  
  
Ten minutes later.....  
  
"You couldn't drive any faster?" CJ asked as they finally entered the West Wing.  
  
"Well, I would, except for the fact that there was a slight traffic jam and I didn't feel like driving like they do in those derbies where they drive over other cars." He said simply.  
  
"We are so late." She glared at him.  
  
"How is this my fault? You're the one with car problems."  
  
"Oh shut up. Come on. If we don't get going now, we'll never hear the end of it."  
  
Toby mocked what she said.  
  
She turned to him and hit his arm.  
  
"Ouch. What was that for?"  
  
"Mocking me." She walked past him and into Leo's office. Toby followed right behind her.  
  
"Well, look who finally decided to show up," Leo said, quite angry.  
  
"It's his fault," she said at the same time he said  
  
"It's her fault."  
  
"Shut up and sit down. Now, here's what we have to do today." Leo started listing things that needed to be done.  
  
Sam couldn't help but laugh a little when he saw CJ and Toby making faces at one another.  
  
"Oh grow up," Leo said.  
  
CJ kicked Toby's leg and smiled as she mouthed, "Prickly."  
  
TBC........ 


	2. 2

"Honestly, CJ, you couldn't have acted like an, I don't know, adult perhaps?" Toby asked once they were out of the meeting.  
  
"Sure, I could have, but I chose not to." She started back towards her office.  
  
"CJ."  
  
"Yeah?" She turned around.  
  
"Do you, uh, need a ride home?"  
  
"Sure, thanks, Toby."  
  
"Yeah." He walked to his office.  
  
"Isn't that cute," Sam said when he saw Toby.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"You are flirting like a teenager." Sam smiled.  
  
"Shut up and get to work," Toby growled.  
  
"You can't see it," Sam asked as he followed Toby to his office.  
  
"See what?"  
  
"CJ has a major crush on you." Sam said with a grin on his face.  
  
"Sam, you sound like a 15 year old boy. Shut up."  
  
Sam shrugged and walked to his office.  
  
Toby sat down and couldn't help but notice Ginger and Bonnie looking at him.  
  
"What do you two want?"  
  
"Love is so cute," Ginger said.  
  
"Oh not you too." Toby banged his head on his desk.  
  
"It's written all over your face, Toby. You love her." Bonnie took a file and walked away.  
  
"I don't love her," he said aloud to himself." His face was full of confusion.  
  
"CJ's in love," Josh said as he followed CJ back to her office.  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's obvious. You were playing footsy in the meeting back there." Josh smiled. "You two make a cute couple."  
  
"We're not a couple, Joshua."  
  
"Whatever you say, Claudia Jean." He smiled at her and walked back to his office.  
  
CJ walked into her office. Sure, she liked Toby. They had been friends for ages. But in love? Impossible, she thought to herself.  
  
"CJ?" Carol said.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"You have a briefing in five minutes." Carol handed her the necessary file.  
  
"Thanks," CJ said. She walked to the briefing room and opened the door.  
  
"So, when's the wedding," Carol asked.  
  
"Excuse me?" CJ turned around and faced Carol.  
  
"It's so obvious, CJ. He loves you." She walked away, leaving CJ in a daze. She shook it off and walked into the Press Room.  
  
TBC...... 


	3. 3

"Will you hurry up already," Toby said impatiently. "How long does it take to get a coat on?"  
  
"Oh shut up. Can't you see that I'm also putting files into my briefcase?" CJ held up her briefcase, and demonstrated what she was doing.  
  
Toby rolled his eyes. "Women," he mumbled.  
  
"I heard that," she said as she slipped on her coat and walked to the door. She hit his arm as she passed him.  
  
"Ouch! What was that for?"  
  
"You're sexist, you know that?"  
  
He shook his head and looked up and mouthed, "Help me."  
  
"Hello? Can we please leave now," CJ asked, getting a bit impatient herself.  
  
"Yes. We could have left ten minutes ago, but you were too busy doing nothing."  
  
"Toby Zachary Ziegler, you can be such a pain in the--"  
  
"Ah ah ah. No bad words, young lady," he teased. "Come on, let's go."  
  
They headed out to Toby's car.  
  
Ten minutes later......  
  
"How on earth does this happen, Toby?"  
  
He didn't give her a response.  
  
"How do you lock your keys in the car? I mean, how stupid can a person get?!"  
  
"CJ, you're starting to give me a headache," he said as he tried to open the locked door.  
  
"I'm calling AAA," CJ said. She got out her cell phone and glared at Toby.  
  
Five minutes later.....  
  
"You and your pride," she said as they got into the now unlocked car.  
  
"What? He was being a smart ass."  
  
"Toby he was telling you that you should be more careful in the future. How is that being a smart--"  
  
"No bad words."  
  
"But you--"  
  
"CJ." He said as he looked at her.  
  
"Fine, fine." She looked out the window. "Men," she muttered under her breath.  
  
Toby pulled over to the side of the road. "What was that," he asked, looking at her.  
  
"Nothing. Can we go now?"  
  
"CJ, you are so...so..."  
  
"I'm so-so?" She looked at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"I was going to go on. You're so..." He looked at her. "Weird. You're so weird," he said, even though he wanted to tell her how beautiful she was when she was in a mood.  
  
"I'm weird? You're the one who keeps telling people off. You are the one who yells at a person who is trying to help us. If I'm weird, then you're...you're..."  
  
"You're-you're?" He gave her an odd look. "What does that mean?"  
  
"Will you let me finish?!" She said, starting to get annoyed. "Anyway, if I'm weird, you're strange." She wanted to tell him that when he yelled like that, that he was so sexy. But she couldn't. She worked with the guy!  
  
"Okay, whatever." He drove back into the traffic. "Thank goodness your place is only five minutes away."  
  
"Whatever." She stared out the window.  
  
Twenty minutes later.....  
  
"Why, why, oh why did you take this street," CJ asked, now very annoyed. "I told you to take Grove. That is faster."  
  
"I like this street," he said, trying to defend himself.  
  
"Toby, look at the traffic! It's just like this morning!"  
  
He muttered something in Yiddish.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said, oy gevault." He knew she wouldn't know what it meant.  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
She burst out laughing. "You say that, and don't know what it means?" She said in between laughs.  
  
He couldn't help but to laugh a little himself. "Yeah, well, my dad used to say it all the time. I guess I picked it up from him or something." He turned his attention back to the road, which was starting to clear up.  
  
"Thank goodness," she said when they got to her apartment. "I never thought I'd see this place again." She looked at him. "Thanks for the ride."  
  
"No problem. Do you, uh, need one tomorrow?"  
  
"I think my car will be fixed by then, but thank you." She started to get out of the car.  
  
It was now or never. "CJ," he said before she completely got out.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Do you want to have dinner tomorrow or something?" He knew he sounded like a high school kid. Maybe Sam was right. Maybe he was falling for her.  
  
She turned around and looked at him. "Sure." She smiled softly. "After work?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Okay." She got out of the car. "Thanks again, Toby."  
  
"Sure."  
  
She shut the car door and watched him drive away. Was Josh right? Was she really falling for him? She felt like tomorrow was going to be her very first date. She felt like a teenager. She unlocked her door and walked into her apartment and took off her coat. She smiled. Yes, she was falling for him.  
  
He got home, made sure to take his keys out of the car this time, and went inside his apartment. It was true. He was falling for CJ. He smiled softly.  
  
TBC....... 


	4. 4

CJ waited in her apartment for Toby to come pick her up for their first date. She felt so giddy, like a high school girl who had a crush on the football team's quarterback. She paced back and forth. What would she say when he came? What would he be wearing? Was she wearing the right clothes? She continued to think and pace.  
  
Toby drove rather slow as he made his way to CJ's apartment. He didn't know what he was going to say to her. "Good evening CJ," he said aloud to himself. "Fine evening, isn't it?" No, that wasn't right. He had to think of something good. Something that would really catch her attention. "Wow, are ever to die for!" No way. That would be too much. "You're drop dead gorgeous." For some reason, that sounded like a movie he once saw. He looked out of the window and noticed the driver next to him giving him a very odd look. Toby stuck his tongue out at the guy and continued to drive. He finally arrived. He got out, walked up to CJ's floor, got to her door, and knocked.  
  
"Hi Toby," she said when she opened it.  
  
"Wow." Was all he could say. Mentally, he was kicking himself.  
  
"Uh, okay."  
  
"Well, what I meant to say was, you look terrific." He smiled.  
  
"Thank you." She smiled as well. "You look nice too."  
  
"Thanks. So, are you ready to go?"  
  
"Yeah, let me just grab my purse."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"You didn't lock your keys in your car, did you?"  
  
"No, CJ I did not lock the keys in the car this time." He took them out of his pocket and showed her.  
  
"Okay."  
  
They walked down to his car. He opened the passenger side for her. "Your chariot awaits you."  
  
"Toby, you're being so romantic," she said. She had never seen this side of him before.  
  
"Yeah, well, there was a time when I was like this all of the time," he said as he closed her door and walked around to the other side of the car and got in.  
  
"Andy?" She asked when he got in.  
  
"Yeah." He looked down. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up a former--"  
  
"It's all right, Toby, really."  
  
He nodded and drove to the restaurant.  
  
The restaurant......  
  
"Toby, this is so isolated," CJ commented when the waiter took them to the very back corner of the restaurant.  
  
"I've heard it's the quietest too," he said, gesturing to the other people in the restaurant. There were quite a few.  
  
"Ah, I see." She smiled and sat down.  
  
He sat down as well. "Yeah."  
  
There was an odd silence between the two for a while. They made small talk about work and how Josh spilled coffee all over his suit and how the President made the staff listen to his inane trivia.  
  
CJ finally broke the small talk, "Toby, thank you for taking me out. It was really sweet of you."  
  
"You're welcome. I figured you wouldn't be doing anything on a Friday night anyway, so I thought I'd ask you out."  
  
She kicked his leg. "Toby!"  
  
"Ouch! What?"  
  
"Why would you automatically assume I wouldn't be doing anything on a Friday night?"  
  
"Because you never do anything on Fridays. You said so yourself last week when you were talking about what you were going to do over the weekend."  
  
"Oh. right." She could feel herself blushing.  
  
"Don't feel bad about it. I usually don't do anything either. Sometimes I'll rent a movie or something, and that'll be it."  
  
She nodded, "I hear ya."  
  
Dinner then came.  
  
"This looks really good," she said as she put her napkin in her lap. She noticed Toby putting his in his shirt, like a little kid would do. "Toby,what are you doing," she said as she giggled.  
  
"I don't want to get my shirt dirty."  
  
"This is a nice restaurant, sheesh. Put the napkin in your lap."  
  
"Yes mommy." He did so.  
  
She kicked him in the leg again.  
  
"Ouch! CJ, I am going to be the most bruised up person in the West Wing because of you."  
  
"Then stop acting goofy."  
  
He nodded and rolled his eyes.  
  
She was tempted to kick him again, but didn't.  
  
When the two were finished with dinner, Toby paid the bill and the two walked out of the restaurant. CJ started walking towards the car.  
  
"CJ," he said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"This way." He pointed in the direction of the Potomac.  
  
"But the car is over here."  
  
"I thought we could take a walk. Unless you don't like walking."  
  
"No, I like walking." She smiled at him and joined him. They walked along the Potomac for a while until they came to a bench.  
  
"Shall we," he asked.  
  
"Sure." They sat down.  
  
There was a long silence.  
  
CJ finally broke it. "Toby, just out of curiosity, why did you ask me out tonight?"  
  
"To be perfectly honest, the idea sort of came from Sam."  
  
"What?"  
  
"He said that I have a...um...a crush on you," he said, not looking at her, but rather at his hands.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Sam said this?"  
  
He nodded. "He said it was pretty obvious."  
  
"Well since we're being honest here, Josh said almost the same thing to me."  
  
"He did?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
He looked at her. "CJ?"  
  
"Hmm?" She looked at him.  
  
He leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips.  
  
She didn't pull away. Instead, she kissed back, just as gently.  
  
They both then pulled away and smiled.  
  
TBC..... 


	5. 5

The next day........  
  
Toby walked into the communications bullpen, whistling. Something he normally didn't do. "Good morning, Sam," he said enthusiastically.  
  
"Morning, Toby. Is something wrong?" Sam looked puzzled.  
  
"Why would anything be wrong?"  
  
"Well, you are never happy in the morning, and you never say good morning to me. Come to think of it, you're just never happy."  
  
"Well, Sammy boy, things have changed." He patted Sam on the back and walked into his office, leaving a very confused Sam just standing there.  
  
CJ walked down the hall to her office. "Good morning, Carol," she said brightly. "How are you today?"  
  
"Um, I'm fine CJ."  
  
"You don't sound too happy. What's wrong?"  
  
"Well, normally, you come in and ask for messages and then you disappear into your office until your briefing."  
  
"Do I?" CJ looked at her, "Well, things are changing. May I please have my messages?"  
  
"Sure." Carol handed CJ her messages.  
  
"Thank you." CJ smiled and walked into her office.  
  
Leo's office........  
  
"Morning Leo," Toby said as he walked in. "Hello Josh, how are you?"  
  
Josh looked at Leo who shrugged, then at Toby. "I'm fine Toby. Are you feeling all right?"  
  
"You're the second person to ask me that today. Yes, I feel fine."  
  
"Uh huh." Josh eyed him skeptically.  
  
"Good morning all!" A chipper CJ said as she walked into the office.  
  
"Okay, who are you people and what have you done with CJ and Toby," Leo asked.  
  
Toby and CJ looked at each other and laughed.  
  
"Something is definitely wrong, Leo," Sam said. "Toby's....he's...laughing."  
  
"We're fine, Spanky," CJ said. "So Leo, what's new with you?"  
  
"Nothing except I have your assignments for today." He eyed the two carefully. "Is there something you'd like to share with the class?"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Toby asked.  
  
"Well for one thing, the last time you were happy was when it was your day of jubilee."  
  
"Nonsense! I must have been happy since then."  
  
No one said anything.  
  
"Of course he has," CJ said, defending him.  
  
"The two of you should really go see a doctor. In the meantime, Sam, I need you to work on a memo for the President for the speech he's giving tomorrow at that high school, Josh, I need you to finish what you were doing yesterday, CJ, here's what you need to brief on, and Toby, please work on that thing for the NEA."  
  
"Got it," Toby said.  
  
"Oh, fun stuff I get to brief about," CJ said, sarcastically, yet in a somewhat giddy tone.  
  
Sam and Josh looked at each other, then at CJ and Toby. Before either one could say anything, Leo put them all to work.  
  
"CJ," Josh said as he caught up to her.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"What are you talking about, Joshua?"  
  
"You and Toby. You're so...happy all of a sudden."  
  
She walked to her office, gesturing for him to follow. "Let's just say that I took your advice." She winked and walked towards the Press Room.  
  
"Okay Toby, spill it," Sam said as they walked back to their offices.  
  
"Spill what," Toby asked as he checked his messages.  
  
"Why are you so happy? What happened?"  
  
"Well Sam, let's just say that I decided to take you up on your offer."  
  
"Huh?" Sam was completely confused.  
  
"I took your advice. I asked her out," he said quietly.  
  
"Aha, I had a feeling you did. So, what did--"  
  
"Don't you have work to do," he grumbled.  
  
"Now there's the Toby we know and love." Sam walked into his office.  
  
The mess.........  
  
"So I told Josh that I took his advice," CJ said as she took another bite of her salad.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Yep. He looked as though he knew it."  
  
"Well, we were acting a bit odd, I must admit." He looked at her. "I took Sam's advice and asked you out."  
  
"Well, yeah, that I remember." She smiled and put her hand on his.  
  
"So," he asked quietly, "What do we do next?"  
  
She shrugged, "I don't know. Wanna go out next Friday?"  
  
"I don't think I have anything planned," he said, smiling.  
  
"Good, cause I was thinking we could sit back and watch a movie or something."  
  
"Sounds good to me." He smiled.  
  
She now knew she fell for him. She knew he felt the same way about her. She wondered what took them so long to get together. 'Oh well,' she thought to herself, 'We're together now.'  
  
He had fallen for her, no doubt about it. He knew she liked him. What was next though? He had to think of something romantic. CJ was so special to him. He wanted to make her the happiest woman alive.  
  
TBC...... 


	6. 6

CJ's apartment, 6:00pm Friday..........  
  
Rouge.'"  
  
"Okay, 'Sleepless in Seattle is such a sappy movie, so I think 'Moulin Rouge' will be the one we watch."  
  
"I don't think 'Sleepless in Seattle' is sappy! It's so romantic. Two people who meet on top of the Empire State Building..." She sighed. "Okay, 'Moulin Rouge.' I like that movie too." She smiled as she led Toby to the sofa. She put the movie in the deck and sat down with him and got the remote and pressed play.  
  
When the movie ended, Toby noticed that CJ had fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder. He smiled a little. He would never admit it, but he actually liked the fact that CJ was 'the one.' He carefully put a hand on her head, "CJ," he said quietly, "The movie's over."  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"I said the movie's over."  
  
"Oh." She noticed where her head was and quickly sat up. She didn't want to make him think she was basically in love with him. "Good movie, huh," she asked as she yawned.  
  
"Well, I thought it was good, but you fell asleep half way through it."  
  
"I did?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Oh. Well, I probably liked the second half in my sleep."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Um, nothing. Never mind." She blushed a little. "So, I guess this is the end of our date for tonight."  
  
"Not quite yet."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
He leaned over and kissed her.  
  
She kissed him back.  
  
"So that's what you meant," she said as the kiss ended.  
  
"That and I have something I need to tell you."  
  
"What?" She feared that he didn't really like her.  
  
"I...uh...I love you CJ." He said quietly.  
  
She smiled. "Thank you."  
  
"Thank you? CJ, I just said I love you, and you say thank you?"  
  
Her eyes widened. "I'm sorry, that's not what I meant. I meant to say that I..." She looked down, took a deep breath, and looked back up at Toby. "I love you too." She smiled softly.  
  
"You do?"  
  
"Yes, I do." She kissed him.  
  
He kissed her back, only more passionately.  
  
She wrapped her arms around his neck as she continued to kiss him.  
  
"Okay," he said as they slowly ended the kiss. "Now I know what you meant." He smiled.  
  
"Yeah, that's what I meant."  
  
"One thing."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"What are we going to tell everyone at work?"  
  
"I think they pretty much know that something is going on between us," she said as she snuggled next to him.  
  
"Yeah, but the press, they don't know."  
  
"Toby, the personal lives of the senior staff are confidential. I thought you knew that."  
  
"Well I do, but you know the press."  
  
"Yes, and I will simply say 'no comment.'"  
  
He nodded, "Okay." He put his arm around her so that she could lay her head on his shoulder again.  
  
She yawned again. "Sorry," she said.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't know. My yawning seems to be causing a bit of a problem. Here we are, getting very romantic, and I'm falling asleep on you."  
  
"I don't mind that."  
  
"You don't?"  
  
"No."  
  
She smiled and put her head on his shoulder again. "I wish we could stay like this forever."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Toby?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Will you stay here tonight? I mean, we don't have to..."  
  
"I know what you mean, and yes."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Sure. It is the weekend."  
  
"Yeah, it is." She closed her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep, her head on Toby's shoulder.  
  
Toby stayed awake for a little while longer thinking of what to do. Finally, he too, fell asleep, his head on both the sofa and CJ's head. He knew what he was going to do.  
  
TBC...... 


	7. 7

He had been avoiding her all week. What had happened? They were doing so well together. They had gone on several dates in one week, laughed, were being sarcastic to others, and everything else that they loved doing when they were together. Then it stopped. CJ wondered what she had done wrong. She had called him the night before to ask him if he wanted to go out for dinner and then go back to her place, but he said no. She sat in her office and just thought about what she did that made him not love her anymore.  
  
Toby sat in his office, pondering on what he would say, how he would say it. He had said no to going out with her on Friday. The first time he did that since they started dating. He loved her and he knew it. She knew it too. He wanted to express how much he loved her, but how would he do that? How would he tell her what he wanted to tell her?  
  
Leo's office........  
  
"Okay people, here is what's going to happen today," Leo said. "The President is giving a speech on education and how it can be improved. Sam?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I want you and Toby to work on the speech."  
  
"Got it." Sam wrote it down on a piece of paper.  
  
"Toby?" Leo asked when Toby didn't say anything. "Toby?!"  
  
"Hmm? Oh, sorry Leo, what did you say?"  
  
"I just told you and Sam to write the President's speech on education and how it can be improved. Think you can handle that?"  
  
"Yeah, no problem."  
  
"Josh, I want you to go over these memos and then get back to me on them." Leo handed Josh a stack of papers.  
  
"Geez, Leo, how many memos are in here?"  
  
"Did I ask you to count the number of memos?" He said, getting annoyed.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"CJ, I need you to brief on the new bill that is being considered in the House."  
  
There was no response from her.  
  
"CJ?" Still no response. "CJ!"  
  
"What?" She snapped back to reality.  
  
"Did you hear what I just said?"  
  
"Uh...no."  
  
"I need you to brief on the bill that is being considered in the House."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"And if no one has anything to say, then this meeting is finished. Get to work." Everyone got up. "CJ? Toby? I want you two to stick around for a sec."  
  
"Shouldn't I--"  
  
"Not right now, Toby." He looked at the two. "What is going on here? Normally, you guys are right on top of things. What's wrong?"  
  
"I guess I didn't get much sleep last night," CJ said, looking only at Leo.  
  
"Toby?"  
  
"I'm guessing the same thing happened to me. No sleep."  
  
"Okay. I don't believe a word either of you said, but you need to get to work, so go."  
  
They left the office.  
  
"CJ." Toby said as she started to walk back to her office.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Look, I'm sorry about last night. It's just--"  
  
"I understand, you have other things planned. It's not a big deal."  
  
"That's not it."  
  
"What do you mean?" She walked towards him.  
  
"Can we talk after work?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Great. Meet me at the bench at the Potomac."  
  
"Why there? Why can't we just talk here," she asked, confused.  
  
"Because I'd rather talk there."  
  
"Okay, I'll be there."  
  
"Okay."  
  
They both walked back to their offices. Once Toby was in his, he closed the door and blinds. He took the little box out of his pocket. "I hope this works."  
  
The Potomac..........  
  
She waited for him to arrive. What was so important that he had to talk to her here? Did he want to break up with her? Tell her it just wasn't meant to be? She sat down and looked at the water.  
  
He walked over to the bench. He needed a good way to say it to her. How to ask her. Should he ask her? So many things to think about.  
  
She saw him approach and stood up. "Hi."  
  
"Hey. Have you been waiting here for long?"  
  
"No, just a few minutes. Just thinking."  
  
"Okay. So, I have to talk to you."  
  
"Yes, so you said." She was ready for it. She was ready for him to say it. That he didn't want to see her anymore.  
  
"CJ, we have been going out for a while now. I mean, sure those things in the past weren't actually dates, but we have been best friends forever. I don't ever want to lose that friendship. I want us to always be friends."  
  
She nodded, "Yeah."  
  
"So that's why I have to ask you something."  
  
"What's that?" She knew it. She knew he was going to say that it would be better to not see each other. She looked at him, a little surprised.  
  
Toby took the little box out of his pocket. "CJ, I want us to be more than friends. I want us to always be together. So that's why I wanted to ask," he got down on one knee, "if you would do me the honor of being my wife." He opened the box and revealed a diamond ring.  
  
She didn't know what to say. A few tears started to fall down her cheeks. Finally, she said it. "Yes."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Yes, Toby Ziegler, I will marry you."  
  
He smiled and put the ring on her finger and got up and kissed her. "You have just made me the happiest man in the world."  
  
"Same here, only woman. You've made me the happiest woman in the world."  
  
They kissed again and knew that they were meant for one another.  
  
TBC....... 


	8. 8

Two days later..........  
  
"So what are we going to tell them, and when," CJ asked.  
  
"Tell who what and when?"  
  
"Our friends and family, stupid!"  
  
"Oh...right. Um, I don't know, maybe during the next staff meeting. I think the President will be in the room for that one."  
  
"Okay, sounds good to me." She smiled and looked at the ring on her finger. "I can't believe we're actually doing this." She smiled.  
  
"I know. I love you."  
  
"I love you more."  
  
"Impossible. I love you more than anyone could imagine." He smirked.  
  
"I love you to infinity and beyond!" She laughed. "I won!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah."  
  
"Toby?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"When we move in together, whose place are we going to live in? Yours or mine?"  
  
"Well, mine is a little larger, so maybe there?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Would you like to start moving your stuff soon?"  
  
"Sure. How does tomorrow sound?"  
  
"Fine by me," he said as he kissed her hand.  
  
Toby's apartment........  
  
"Gosh CJ, how much stuff do you need to move," Toby asked as he brought in a box labeled "pictures."  
  
"Just the essentials," she said as she emerged from the bedroom.  
  
"The essentials? You do know that there is barely any room to move around, right?"  
  
"Hey, I'm a woman in her prime, Toby. I have a lot of essential stuff." She said, defending herself.  
  
"Yes, so I've heard," he said as he put the box down.  
  
Three hours later.........  
  
"There. That's the last of it," CJ said as she brought in a box labeled "towels."  
  
"Are you sure you didn't forget anything, like the wallpaper?"  
  
"Oh shut up," she said as she jokingly hit him in the arm.  
  
"Ouch. That hurt."  
  
"You're such a wimp."  
  
"Am not."  
  
"Are to."  
  
"Whatever. Let's just start unpacking your stuff so that we will be able to see the floor again."  
  
"Whatever you say."  
  
They began to unpack.  
  
Two hours later.........  
  
"Hey! I can see the floor," Toby said.  
  
"Yeah, it's amazing, isn't it?" She hit him again.  
  
"Will you stop that?"  
  
"Stop what?"  
  
"Hitting me. It hurts." He rubbed his arm.  
  
"Baby," she muttered.  
  
The Oval Office, next day........  
  
"Okay, so does anyone else have anything they need to bring up," Leo asked.  
  
"Actually, yes, Leo." Toby said as he stood up.  
  
"Okay, what is it?"  
  
"Well, it's something that both CJ and I have to share." He gestured for her to stand as well.  
  
"Oh, and what is that," Jed asked.  
  
CJ looked at Toby. "You want to tell them," she asked.  
  
"Sure." He looked at everyone. "CJ and I are engaged," Toby said with pride. He knew that everyone already knew that they were dating. He awaited the response.  
  
"Engaged? Really?" Josh said.  
  
"Yep, and here's the ring to prove it," CJ said as she took the ring out of her pocket and put it on.  
  
"Wow, congratulations you two!" Josh hugged CJ and shook Toby's hand.  
  
"That's wonderful news," Sam said as he too hugged CJ and shook Toby's hand.  
  
"Well....wow." Leo said, completely shocked. "Congrats to you two." He smiled.  
  
Jed stood up, "I knew this was coming," he said with a smile on his face. "Congratulations."  
  
"Thank you sir, and thank you everyone," CJ said.  
  
"So when's the big day," Sam asked.  
  
"Well, we are planning a small wedding. You know, family and friends only." Toby said.  
  
"Are we invited Josh asked, which earned him a hit on the arm from CJ. "Ouch."  
  
"Of course you're all invited," CJ said.  
  
"Hey, I have an idea," the President said.  
  
"And that is?" Toby asked.  
  
"Why don't we have it in the Rose Garden? We'll invite only family and friends, like you said, and the scenery is perfect."  
  
"Sir, it's the middle of Winter. Don't you think it would be a little cold?" CJ asked.  
  
"Fair point. Where were you two thinking of having the wedding?"  
  
"City Hall," CJ said. "That way we don't have to argue about having either a Rabbi or a Priest. A judge will marry us."  
  
"Okay," Jed said. "You know, it's not all that cold outside. Are you sure you don't want it in the Rose Garden?"  
  
They looked at each other. "Okay sir," Toby said after a moment of silence.  
  
"Excellent. When would you like to get married?"  
  
"We were thinking in about two weeks," CJ said as she took Toby's hand.  
  
"Okay, I'll have Abbey help you with what needs to be done, and Sam, Josh, and Leo will help you, Toby," Jed said.  
  
"Um, okay," Toby said.  
  
"Oh this is going to be fun," Josh said with a wry smile.  
  
"Yep. I don't think I've ever helped plan a wedding. Well, except my sister's, but that was different," Sam said.  
  
CJ and Toby looked at each other. They were in for a bumpy ride.  
  
TBC.. 


	9. 9

Two weeks had flown by quickly. Toby and CJ were both almost ready for the big day, which was tomorrow.  
  
The Residence..........  
  
"Donna, thank you so much for helping me with my dress," CJ said as Donna helped CJ get into it.  
  
"It's no problem," Donna said. "It was fun shopping for one."  
  
"Yeah, easy for you to say. You're not six feet tall. Nearly every dress I tried on didn't fit. It was so embarrassing."  
  
"Don't worry about it. That is in the past. Just look ahead to the future."  
  
"Yeah, you're right."  
  
Abbey walked in the room. "Hi you two, CJ I got your bouquet..." She saw CJ's dress. "Oh CJ, you look beautiful."  
  
"Thank you ma'am." CJ smiled and looked in the mirror. "I just hope my parents get here in time for the wedding. They said that their flight was delayed a couple of hours or something."  
  
"I'm sure they will get here in plenty of time, CJ. Don't worry." Abbey smiled.  
  
"Yeah, you're probably right."  
  
"I remember my wedding day," Abbey said. "It was the happiest day of my life. Jed was wearing his tuxedo, and I was wearing my dress..." She had a few tears in her eyes as she remembered that day.  
  
"I'm sure it was a wonderful day," CJ said as she smiled at Abbey.  
  
"Oh trust me, it was. Except when Jed had a little too much champagne." She started to laugh. "He eventually passed out and his face went straight on to his plate, which contained some cake. You should have seen him. It was hilarious."  
  
Both CJ and Donna laughed. "I'm sure it was," Donna said.  
  
Margaret walked in then with something in her hands, Ginger close behind. Carol caught up with them.  
  
"Hi guys," Donna said. "It's about time you got here."  
  
"Sorry, but we had to find the perfect things," Margaret said.  
  
"What are you talking about," CJ asked.  
  
"This." Margaret held out a pair of earrings. "I wanted to give you something borrowed," she said with a smile.  
  
CJ had tears in her eyes. "Thank you, Margaret, they're beautiful."  
  
"Put them on," she said. CJ put them on.  
  
"Stunning," Abbey said.  
  
"I wanted to give you this," Ginger said, holding a blue handkerchief. "I thought you may need it in case you start to cry." She smiled and handed it to CJ.  
  
"Thank you Ginger. That was so sweet of you." CJ wiped her eyes with the handkerchief.  
  
Carol walked up to CJ. "I wanted to give you something new." She held out a necklace with a locket on it. "I thought it would go perfectly with your dress."  
  
"Carol, it's beautiful. Thank you." She put the necklace on.  
  
"My turn," Donna said. "CJ, this bracelet has been in my family for ages. I thought you would like to wear it for your wedding."  
  
"Oh Donna, this is the most beautiful bracelet I have ever seen. Thank you. Thank you all. This means so much to me."  
  
After a few minutes of talking, everyone helped CJ to get ready.  
  
The Mural Room..........  
  
"Wow, Toby, you really look great," Sam said as he helped Toby with his bowtie.  
  
"Thank you," he said as he looked in the mirror.  
  
Jed walked in the room just then. "Toby, you look great."  
  
"Thank you sir."  
  
"So, who have you picked to be your best man?"  
  
"Well, I was thinking I could have two." He pointed to Josh and Sam.  
  
"Wonderful idea. You two are very lucky."  
  
"Yes, we know sir," Josh said. "So Toby, when is your family coming?"  
  
"Well, my parents should be here at least an hour before the wedding, and my brother is flying in now."  
  
"What about your sisters," Sam asked.  
  
"They're coming too. I think that they are boarding the plane right as we speak."  
  
"That's good, hopefully all of your family and all of CJ's family will be here."  
  
"Yeah," Toby said as he sat down and put on his shoes.  
  
"Is something wrong Toby," Josh asked.  
  
"No, why do you ask?"  
  
"You look like you're sweating."  
  
"Ah, cold feet," Jed said.  
  
The three men looked up at Jed.  
  
"It is probably what Toby has. I remember when I married Abbey, I was a wreak. I kept messing up my bowtie, breaking shoelaces, and I even almost lost the ring."  
  
"Isn't the best man supposed to have the ring," Sam asked.  
  
"Well yes, but he wasn't there yet and I told him that until he came, I'd hold it."  
  
"You're probably right sir. I most likely do have cold feet." He smiled a little.  
  
Just then, his father walked into the room. "Toby!"  
  
"Dad, hi." Toby walked over to his father and hugged him. "I'm glad you could make it. Where's mom?"  
  
"She is outside the room. She said that she would wait to say hello until you were ready."  
  
"I see."  
  
Back in the Residence..........  
  
"Claudia?" CJ's mother asked as she knocked on the door.  
  
"Mom!" CJ walked over to her mother and hugged her. "I'm so glad you and dad could make it."  
  
"Me too. I wouldn't have missed this day for the world."  
  
"Where's dad?"  
  
"Outside, waiting. He didn't want to interrupt the women. Don't worry, you'll see him."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Okay CJ, are you ready," Abbey asked after saying hello to CJ's mother.  
  
"As ready as I'll ever be." CJ took a deep breath.  
  
Back in the Mural Room........  
  
"Ready Toby," Jed asked.  
  
"I think so," he said.  
  
"Great. Let's get going then."  
  
"Okay." Toby took a deep breath.  
  
CJ and everyone who was with her headed out to the portico to help CJ get ready to walk down the aisle.  
  
"I'm going to take my seat now," Abbey said.  
  
CJ nodded and hugged Abbey and her mother. Her father took her arm and they waited for the right time.  
  
Toby and everyone who was with him headed out to the Rose Garden. Toby stood where he was told to, with Sam and Josh right beside him. His parents were sitting down already.  
  
They were ready.  
  
TBC...... 


	10. 10

Toby's niece was the flower girl. She walked down the aisle first as Pacabel's Cannon in D started play. Next to walk down the aisle was Carol, then Margaret, then Ginger, and then Donna. As the music continued, CJ took a deep breath, turned to her father who smiled at her, and the two proceeded down the aisle. Everyone was smiling. CJ saw Toby at the end of the aisle, he looked so nice in his tux.  
  
Toby looked at her. She looked gorgeous. The dress was perfect. He was glad she had gone with Donna to get a dress. Toby saw his parents in the corner of his eye. They looked so proud of their son. Toby watched as CJ and her father continued to walk down the aisle. Finally, CJ and her father came to the end of it. Her father kissed her and sat down next to her mother.  
  
The judge smiled at the two as they stood before him. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to join Claudia Jean Cregg and Tobias Zachary Ziegler in Holy Matrimony. I have been told by the two that they would like to exchange their own vows, so I will now allow Toby to go first. Toby?"  
  
Toby looked at CJ. "Claudia, from the first day I saw you, I knew there was more than just good looks to you. I knew you had a heart. And when I actually spoke to you for the first time, I knew I was in love. You have always been there for me, in good times and in bad, and I will always be there for you, no matter what is going on. I will support whatever decision you make in life. You are my life, Claudia. I love you, and I promise to cherish you for the rest of my life."  
  
"Claudia," the judge said, turning to her.  
  
CJ looked at Toby. "Toby, I knew I loved you when you first yelled at me over accidentally slamming a cart into the back of your car. You are so passionate about everything, Toby. I love you for that. I love you because you are so caring, even though you like to hide that. That just makes me love you even more. You are my life, Toby. I promise to always be there for you, when you're sick, when you're well, even when you're in a horrible mood. I promise to support you in whatever you do in life, whatever choices you make, I will be there for you. I love you Toby, and will cherish you for the rest of my life."  
  
"May I have the rings please?" Sam gave the judge a ring and Donna gave him a ring as well. "Toby please take this ring and place it on Claudia's left hand, on the third finger, and repeat after me. ?With this ring, I thee wed."  
  
"With this ring, I thee wed." He placed the ring on CJ's finger.  
  
"CJ, please take this ring and place it on Toby's left hand, on the third finger and repeat after me, ?With this ring, I thee wed."'  
  
"With this ring, I thee wed." She placed the ring on Toby's finger.  
  
"It is now that I ask if there are any objections to the bringing together of these two people."  
  
No one said anything.  
  
"If there are no objections, which I see there are not, I now pronounce you husband and wife." He looked at Toby, "You may kiss the bride."  
  
Toby took a step closer to CJ and kissed her. When they finished, there was applause from the audience of family and friends.  
  
The music started up again and the two walked up the aisle, followed by the best men and the flower girls.  
  
"I can't believe we did it," CJ said once they were in the Roosevelt Room.  
  
"I can."  
  
She nodded, "Yeah."  
  
"Okay everyone," Jed said as everyone piled into the room, "I'd like to propose a toast. To CJ and Toby. May you two have a blessed life together and have many children and be happy."  
  
"Here, here!" Everyone said.  
  
Hours later.........  
  
"Okay, It's now time for CJ to throw the bouquet, so single girls step forward," Abbey said.  
  
CJ threw the bouquet. It landed in Donna's hands and everyone applauded.  
  
"Okay, we'd love to stay, but we have a honeymoon to go on," Toby said to the group.  
  
"Have fun and be safe," Jed said.  
  
"We will sir, and thank you," CJ said.  
  
He smiled. "You're welcome. Now go!"  
  
The walked to the waiting limo and were taken to the airport, where they went to France.  
  
"I love you, Claudia Jean Ziegler," Toby said as they stood in front of the Eiful Tower.  
  
"I love you, Toby Zachary Ziegler," CJ said.  
  
The two shared a long, passionate kiss. Their new lives had begun.  
  
END 


End file.
